Hull take Tickle's fancy with two-year contract

Danny Tickle, the second-rower released by Wigan at the end of the season, joined Hull on a two-year deal yesterday.

The 23-year-old Tickle chose to play for the Super League runners-up despite a number of other offers when Wigan told him he was no longer wanted. He joins another of his Wigan team-mates this year, Wayne Godwin, at the KC Stadium.

"Danny is a good young player with ambition and that's exactly what we want," said the Hull coach, Peter Sharp. "He is looking to put his career back on track and he will certainly bring something different to the squad."

Warrington are set to announce the signing of the New Zealand international utility player, Vinnie Anderson, from St Helens on a three-year deal by paying a £50,000 transfer fee.

Anderson can play centre, stand-off or in the pack but has dropped out of the picture for Saints towards the end of the season, failing to make the 17 for the Challenge Cup final or Super League Grand Final.

Castleford have agreed terms with Dwayne Barker, who has been released by Hull KR after helping them into Super League, where they will replace Cas next season.

Lee Briers will partner Danny McGuire at half-back in Great Britain's only warm-up game for the Tri-Nations, against a Newcastle XIII - which includes the former Widnes player Daniel Frame - tomorrow night in Australia. The Warrington captain is in the stand-by squad for the tournament, but could advance his claims for promotion in the case of a vacancy if he performs strongly.

The 10 St Helens and Hull players involved in the Grand Final have not been considered for the match.

Jamie Lyon, who played his last game for Saints at Old Trafford, has joined up with the Australian squad preparing for Saturday's game against New Zealand in Melbourne, although he will not play this weekend.

Lyon's new club, Manly, have volunteered to play Saints in the World Club Challenge next February if the Brisbane Broncos are unwilling to do so.